Nigeria Static In FIFA Ranking -Eagles Remain World’s 47th -Keep Seventh Spot In Africa -Bosnia, Iran Drop Four Slots Penultimate week’s goalless draw in an international friendly against Mexico has turned out only good enough to keep Nigeria static on the global football rankings by FIFA, as the Super Eagles are still considered the globe’s 47th team and remain seventh in Africa, with 626 points in the soccer governing body’s data for February. While Nigeria stays as a non-mover in the latest monthly FIFA rankings, two of the Super Eagles’ Group F opponents at this year’s World Cup, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran suffered dips from placements they had the previous month, but the fourth team in the pool, Argentina remain the world’s third best on current form. Losing 2-0 to Egypt in a recent international friendly means Nigeria’s second group opponents, Bosnia fall four slots to 21st position with 863 points, while the first team the Eagles will battle in Brazil, Iran, who also lost their last friendly 2-1 against Guinea, pooled 692 points and drop four slots to 42nd in the global ratings. Nigeria’s last group opponents, Argentina are third (with 1,234 points) behind Spain and Germany, while Portugal and Colombia also remain unchanged in the top five spots, followed by Uruguay (6th, up 1) and Switzerland (7th, down 1). Africa’s leading team remains Cote d’Ivoire, despite dropping one slot to 24th in the world (with 839 points), followed by Algeria (819) up one to 25th) and Egypt, whose victory over Bosnia and devaluation of last year’s defeat by Qatar have helped them become the highest mover in climbing climb positions to 26th (790 points). Cape Verde Islands are now fourth in Africa, as they fall six slots to 33rd globally, with 739 points, while fifth placed are Ghana, move up two rungs with 729 points to 35th in the world and Tunisia move up one place to 44th in the world with 641 points, as Cameroun, Guineas and Mali complete the continent’s top ten in that order. Nigeria’s next pre-World Cup build-up opponents, Scotland fall three steps to 37th in the world with 721 points, while the next team the Eagles will tango after, Greece are down one rung to 13th (with 1038 points) and the last of the African champions’ schedule before heading to Brazil, USA. Of the 67 matches taken into account, 57 were friendlies. The other ten games were AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, which brings the total number of matches evaluated so far this year to 122. The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 10 April 2014.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 19:12:06 +0000
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